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Wireless Networks
Virtual Private
Networks For Mobile Computing & Remote Access Applications
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for
Mobile Computing
The Internet is increasingly becoming the most
common method of connecting remote users to corporate information servers. Since 1998,
virtual private networks are getting lot of acceptance among network designers. The
concept of VPN is based on using the Internet as a mechanism for connecting remote workers
to an ISP and then through the Internet infrastructure to the corporate server. The
wire-line connection of VPNs for mobile workers from fixed locations is relatively easy
and available from many NSP's. However, for those remote workers who are truly
mobile,
there are three requirements for using VPNs:
ensuring security requirements
offering suitable capacity and quality of
service that you must guarantee to your mobile users.
allowing wireless connection to the Internet
from remote workers
The first requirement is now fully recognized
and is being met by VPN offerings of several vendors. As for the second requirement, ISPs
are designing their Internet infrastructure through required number of T-1 type
connections so that they can guarantee reasonable quality of performance to their
customers. As far as the third requirement is concerned, industry is breaking new
ground now. By true wireless connection to the Internet from remote users, we do not
imply wireless connection from a fixed location but from a mobile location. We mean 3COM's
Palm.net type of connection through VPNs. But Palm.Net uses Bell South's Mobitex network
as a communications hub. This is a public shared network - not wireless VPN.
MicroLogic - Mobile Wireless VPN
Service from Wireless Telecom
Wireless Telecom Inc., has started offering a
VPN service to allow a mobile PC user to securely connect to enterprise networks through
MicroLogic Network services. Currently, it connects to Microsoft Exchange and Outlook
applications only. Micrologic WVPN agent software is $1495 - client service is $35 per
user including air time for specified amount of wireless data traffic.
Books on VPN (Virtual Private
Networks)
The following books provide good information
on VPNs.
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Building and Managing VPNs - Dave Kosiur published by Wiley
- ISBN 0-471-29526-4.
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Implementing Virtual Private Networks by Steven Brown -
Osborne/McGraw-Hill
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More VPN books on our
Book Page
Go to www.bn.com or www.amazon.com for these books.
Wireless VPN Solutions
Certicom announced MovianVPN client software to allow VPNS to
connect to wireless devices. Go to Certicom
site for more information.
Columbitech,
a company based in Stockholm, Sweden has released a wireless VPN solution
(March 2001). See their product information here.
VPN Wireline Vendors
A few of the wireline VPN vendors who have good
information on their web site are:
Wireless VPN Customer Profiles/Case
Studies
More VPN
Resources
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